Are you looking for ways to be a hit at your next summer potluck Well, I've got two ways to use watermelon that are so not boring and perfect for parties.

Watermelon feta skewers and watermelon margaritas.

If that doesn't make your mouth water, I don't know what will.

I'm Trace Barnett, and welcome to Garden Party.

Today we're going to make a cool, refreshing mocktail or cocktail that's perfect for your summer gatherings.

Watermelon margaritas.

Let's get started.

you're going to need a blender, and four cups of frozen watermelon.

I'm going to fill my blender all the way to the top the key is to put your frozen watermelon into the freezer, preferably overnight, or at least for four hours.

What we're really going for here is we want the slushiness to really come from the frozen watermelon versus ice.

To our blender we're going to add half a cup of tequila.

It might have been a little bit more.

If you're making a mocktail, definitely omit the tequila.

And we're using a triple sec alternative here today, which is basically a lime and mint simple syrup that I've mixed with a little orange juice.

That's a great if you're doing a mocktail too, because it really gives that good citrus flavor.

We expect from a margarita.

I'm gonna add in a couple tablespoons of honey, drizzle that directly over the top and if you want, if you have agave syrup rather than honey, feel free to use agave too It's a good spring honey, so it has a little bit of floral flavor to it, and you need the juice of two limes.

And now comes the magic.

Latch everything in properly.

These things are always so confusing.

Don't drink before you blend these.

So you want to blend everything together just until the consistency is just perfect.

Like a margarita.

I'm going to give this a little bit of a taste and check our consistency.

Delicious.

I'm going to add just a little bit more ice just to make it that good cold drink.

So we can drink it outside in hot Alabama heat.

Now it's a real party!

Alright now is the pivotal moment.

Let's take our blades off here and pour up our margaritas.

Now, this is something that you can make up and pop back into the freezer too if you want, and then pop it back in and blend it some more.

Oh my God, beautiful.

So I've also put a tajin rim on there, garnish with just a little bit of lime.

You can also do a salt rim too.

And cheers to a cooler summer.

Filled with watermelon.

Oh it's so good.

So I think we can all can attest that, like when you shop for a watermelon, some of them are just absolutely huge.

Barely pick some of them up.

You need a wheelbarrow so a lot of times you just have like a whole watermelon left on the side.

So especially when you're entertaining in the summer, what better way than to just, make a pitcher of refreshing drink made out of watermelon?

And then the skewers are super easy.

basically it's just a little bit of chopping, and it's a great way to use that other half of the watermelon and not let it go to waste.

And you're just not eating it plain either.

Our second way to enjoy watermelon.

This summer is in this little portable appetizer.

I love the arugula, feta, watermelon salad.

But the problem is, as a party lingers that gets a little soupy and soggy.

So I love these portable walk around the party options and we finish it off with a beautiful balsamic glaze.

all you need is just some skewers.

I've cubed up some watermelon here The great thing about these skewers is there are unlimited amounts of flavor combinations.

We're doing two of my favorites today, mint basil alternating a little bit of feta, cucumber and peach, the hardest thing here is chopping everything up, making sure they're uniform and about the same size.

I wanted them in larger bites.

So you kind of really have that good mouthful of herbs, peaches, watermelon.

I mean, this really is like summer on a skewer.

Put a little bit of red onion on there too.

kind of balance out the sweetness a little.

another peach.

And there you have it.

Just alternate all the way to the top.

I'm using these vintage Hadaleigh skewers today, but you can use just bamboo skewers.

Whatever you have on hand.

Great thing about these two.

If you are firing up the grill, you can just lightly just brush some olive oil on these and throw these on the grill.

And it just takes them to that next level.

Now let's make a cucumber one.

I really love the combination of watermelon and cucumber together, simply because they are so nice and just chill.

The perfect kind of bite you need when it's a thousand degrees out in the Alabama heat.

Now, the great thing about these skewers is if you omit the fresh herbs, or if you want to add them later, you can totally make these up and just store them in the refrigerator overnight.

I love the cucumber ones.

Perfect.

Let's layer these.

So when I serve these I usually love to layer them on a huge platter.

I surround them with bits of the herbs that we have used as a little bit of garnish.

You just can't really have feta, watermelon without a balsamic glaze.

So I'm just going to do a tiny drizzle.

I've upped the game on this balsamic glaze just a tiny bit, just to offset the sweetness of the skewers.

Added just a little bit of crushed garlic.

The recipes on the website with these other ones.

And then I left a little bit of honey roasted pecans directly on top and just a few extra edges.

Just little green peas.

You can top these with chopped onion chopped herb prosciutto.

It's endless.

What you can do with these skewers, but look how gorgeous they are.

I couldn't think of a better way to enjoy all the flavors of summer.

Flavors of summer in one bite.

Especially when you wash it down with a margarita.

Cheers.

We'll see y'all next time.

I look like I'm directing traffic.

And like, I'm bringing a plane in.

Thank you.

Feel so good.

Are you having a hot flash?.

I'm going through menopause.

Something about food on a stick.

I'll see y'all next time.

Probably with a hangover.

Oh, my God, hope I don't have Black eyes after...

I'm, like, disoriented.

It's like sweating everywhere.

Okay.

Let's get blending.